The Queen
by xXxFlAwLeSsLY.iM.peRFecT
Summary: The first masked one, a hidden dark past, a mysterious power, a haunting guilt. Rayne hides from Soul Society after the tragic 100 years ago, an unexpected turn of events forces her to once again involve herself in the upcoming battle. AizenXOCXShinji.
1. Opening

Hello and welcome readers!

This is the new, rewritten version of 'The Queen'!!!

I'm really sorry for my lateness, but I will make it up to you guys by posting more chapters soon!!!!!!

I have changed bits and pieces of the story and Rayne will be slightly different as well, so look forwards to it!

I hope you guys like it and please do tell me if I have made any mistakes, and please tell me what you think, so I can better improve it next time!!!

_**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH!!!**_

* * *

The pale silver moon hung in the silent night sky, a cool breeze that carried the scent of the salty sea blew lightly. Ruffling the pale hair of a woman who was sprawled lazily on one of the desolate roofs of the many buildings. The unbuttoned grey coat that she wore splayed out underneath her like a messy blanket.

Her eyes were closed and her chest rose and fell evenly as she took regular breaths, it seemed as if she was asleep. With one leg was crossed over the other, and her arms folded behind her head in a make shift pillow against the hard concrete.

Silver studded black boots came up to her knees and a proportion of her well toned thighs were revealed. Her black shorts ended in the middle of her thighs and connected with a fancy belt which hung lopsided around her hip.

Her eyes were hidden beneath the silvery strands of her messy hair which splayed out around her. A length of black ribbon barely managed to restrain the wild strands of silver streaked with an occasional black here and there.

The woman's pale pink lips parted and she let out a soft sigh of content, her eyes cracked open, beneath a curtain of hair, revealing gleaming stormy grey eyes. She stared up dreamily at the clouds that drifted across the moon with the light coaxing of the winds, covering the silver orb from sight.

Everything was silent except for the dull rumbling roar of the waves that pounded the shore at the beach not far away.

A small smile curled her lips up as a salty breeze blew across her form, causing her hair to ruffle slightly.

What more could she ask for?

A quiet environment.

A stunning moon.

The lulling of th-

BANG!

Twitch.

_'Oh no.'_

CRASH!! BANG!

Twitch. Twitch.

_'They can't do this.'_

BOOM!!!

Twitch. Twitch. Twitch.

_'They seriously can't do this to me!'_

CRA-

"SHUT UP!" Her voice overrode the sound of the academy students practising their kido on the dummy hollows nearby.

Thankfully, no other sound disturbed the night except for the cheers of triumph followed after the rumbling explosions.

Her eyes closed in annoyance, an eyebrow still twitching in irritation. A sigh mixed with a growl escaped her lips as she settled back down to listen to the lullaby of the surging waves of the ocean.

A few moments of bliss silence once again, now if only they would go away and leave her...

BANG! CRASH!

Nope.

Not a chance.

Rayne cracked open her eyelids and her gleaming eyes slid lazily over to where the sound issued from. She couldn't be bothered to gather the effort to yell or to move.

"Why do they always come when I decide to come?" Rayne grumbled out loud instead, voice brimming with irritation.

"**No point in complaining about it." **Came a soft reply in her mind.

A deep, echoing voice that sounded like the whispering winds that swept across the world. Unintentionally seductive and low, a masculine tone that flowed with majestic power that made her tremble.

Steel grey eyes slid to the side where a katana rested, within her reach, the cold blade hidden beneath a black sheath.

Rayne sighed and then answered out loud with a tone of mock exasperation.

"I was just saying." She replied with a lazy flick of her arm and flopped to her side, curling around the katana.

"Ne, aibou…" Rayne murmured quietly, fingers curling around the onyx grey hilt of her katana.

There was no reply, but she knew he was listening, she could see him silently nodding at her to go on.

"I can feel it…"

Fingers twirled the silver chain around her neck, brushing along the smooth yet uneven surface of the crystal that hung around her neck.

"It's almost-"

Suddenly she stiffened, pushing herself up from the ground in a swift movement.

"**What's wrong?"** Her partner's deep voice revibrated within her mind, a hint of concern tainting his beautiful voice.

She didn't answer, instead she kept her eyes glued on the place where she had saw something odd occur.

A patch of air a few buildings away had just shifted, as if something invisible had moved.

"Huh?" She rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand furiously before locking her eyes back on the area where she had saw the air move.

Nothing.

A frown, her eyes flickered around cautiously.

Nothing.

"Partner, do you sense anything?"

She questioned, her brows still furrowed.

She could almost see his lips tug down into a slight frown at her question.

"**Not reall-"**

A sudden gust of wind washed over her, bringing the smell of the sea, but also the smell of…

Hollows.

Rayne jerked harshly, sniffing the air cautiously, eyes widened in disbelief as she confirmed the familiar odour that had drifted over.

"Hollows..." She murmured softly to no one in particular, her brows knitted together in suspicion.

"Why are they here…? It might have been attracted by their reiastu…but…" She muttered to herself softly and placed a thumb on her bottom lip. "To attract such a large number of them…and also…"

'_I've never met a Hollow that can hide its reiatsu as completely as these ones…I only managed to sense then because of their stench and shift in the atmosphere…'_ Her brows knitted together in confusion as she scraped her thumb with her teeth.

'_Unless…'_ Her eyes widened as a possibility struck her, her eyes darkened a shade as she stood up.

'_Someone is using them for experiments and then setting them loose…' _She yanked the katana that had been resting beside her up by the flowing white piece of cloth tied near the top of the sheath and slung it over her shoulder in a lazy fashon.

Her eyes narrowed.

'_The only person I can think of that has that knowledge is Urahara Kisuke which is rather unlikely or…'_ Her darkened eyes closed as the name was murmured by two individual voices, like a prayer in her mind.

"_**Aizen Sousuke…"**_

"**What are you going to do?"** The masculine voice questioned in her mind, Rayne opened her eyes and replied silently.

"_I'm leaving, it's none of my business anyway."_ Her eyes gazed blankly over to where the Hollows were heading.

"_I have managed to avoid the Shinigamis for all these years…"_ She paused and clenched her hands together, her brows furrowed and her eyes were cast down as she muttered quietly.

"I will not involve myself in their fights until the time has come." The voice didn't reply, it had left her to her own swirling thoughts.

With that, she walked away, in the opposite direction where the Hollows were heading. Just as she was about to step off the edge of the building a panic-stricken cry echoed eerily across the area, causing a chill to run down her spine.

'Don't listen! Don't involve yourself in fights that are not your own!' She screamed in her mind as she tried to leapt away, to flee from the massacre of the amateur Shinigamis that was sure to occur later.

But she found that she couldn't move, her body seemed to have locked up, forcing her to hear the screams of terror that echoed unheard through the once peaceful night.

Images flashed through her mind, a flashback.

_A grimy child, cowering on the ground._

_Helpless and pitiful as a monster loomed above. _

_Jaws gaping as it bore down on the small girl._

_An ear splitting scream- _

Rayne shook her head furiously, knocking the flash of memory out with a mental fist.

Rayne ground her teeth, a war raging within her own mind.

Help them?

Or.

Leave them to the mercy of the Hollows?

Which one should she choose?

Well, she didn't need to struggle with the two choices for long.

The fearful screams that reminded her so much about herself all those years ago made her resolve on not involving herself in other's fight crack and disperse like dust.

The woman let out a irritable hiss as she spun around on her heel, stalking angrily towards the edge of the building she napped on occasionally, muttering darkly as she went.

"Stupid Shinigami academy students…had to get into a pinch right in front of me…" She ranted on, a scowl printed across her face.

The man's lips tugged up into a smirk, a cool breeze was blowing away the clouds that covered the sky of her world.

"**Trying to act angry even though you actually wanted to help them…" **The man let out a chuckle, as the wind tangled through his hair like whispering fingers.

"S-Shut up!" Her indignant squawk rang through the air, coaxing a laugh out of him.

A laugh that echoed the great expanse of water.

"Hey! I'm just helping them because I…" She trailed off.

"I owe them! Kind of…" She ended gruffly, puffing her cheeks out like a child.

Another chuckle at his wielder's antics.

"**Very well."**

"Seriously…making me do all this extra work…" She mumbled, footsteps falling swift and unhesitating as she approached the edge with wide strides.

If anyone had been watching, it would have seemed that she was going to commit suicide by stepping off the edge of the fourteen story high building.

But what made the drastic action different to a suicide attempt was that she had disappeared into thin air. Along with the night breeze that now carried the scent of freshly spilt blood.

A ghost of the clouded night.

* * *

aibou = partner

...

So...

How was it? Was it any better?

Please review by pressing the green button with 'review' on it below to tell me.

Thanks again to all readers, I will update again as soon as I can!


	2. Welcome to Hell

Hello. Hello.

I've updated again.

**_Many thanks_** to xLilim and music fans for reviewing!

I hope you guy like this chapter and please do reveiw to tell me if there is anything I could improve on.

_**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH**_

* * *

A shadow flitted across the star scattered sky. Briefly before they disappeared once again into the darkness. A light thud that was the sound of a single foot touching down onto a roof before vanishing yet again.

Rayne was once again airborne, the hem of her coat flapped loudly in the silent air, behind her and the cool wind whistled past her. Howling into her ears, as if urging her to hurry up.

Suddenly the smell hit her.

The smell of blood that had been faint before was now overwhelming.

Rayne skidded to a halt at the edge of a building, staring down at the destruction that met her eyes. Bodies were strewn across the crumbling tower that was smoking, splashes of deep crimson glistened thickly on broken debris.

"Geez, they sure trashed this place." She muttered before she stepped from the edge and leapt towards the ruined tower.

Rayne landed with a balanced kneel, but the smell of burnt flesh and blood nearly sent her reeling back. She glanced up, the sight that greeted her made her grimace.

Now that she was closer, she could see everything with more clarity. They were motionless at her feet, arms dangling lifelessly from the cracked concrete edge. Blood pooled around them and dripped from their limp fingers, splattering onto the ground metres below.

"They must be the members of the barrier team…" She muttered to herself as she knelt down beside a motionless figure.

Slender fingers pressed firmly against a limp wrist, as she searched for any trace a heartbeat or spiritual energy.

Anything would do.

A flicker of his life energy and a weak pulse was all she needed for each of them. To be truthful, she was surprised, it's a miracle that they were still alive considering the state they are in.

As carefully as she could, she half dragged, half carried the unconscious Shinigamis to a safer area one by one. Well, her 'safer area' was just a randomly selected building that happened to be close by.

No way was she going to risk healing them on the slanted tower only for the tower they had been stationed on to collapse and cause them to fall to their deaths. Rayne knelt down with a grunt, unwrapping the bloodied arm around her shoulders and carefully laying the Shinigami she had hauled over onto the ground.

He had been the last one.

Rayne flopped down with a groan, rubbing her arms and glaring with vengeance at the blood stains that had been left on her favourite grey coat.

"**Umm…"** A voice called out. **"Are you forgetting what the more important issue at the moment…?"**

"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Rayne muttered darkly, yanking her coat off and kneeling beside a Shinigami.

She let out a sigh and closed her eyes briefly. Summoning her reiatsu, a pale green glow filled her palms and she placed it so that it hovered slightly above his gaping wounds. The energy gathered in her hands flickered and an arrow of doubt shot through her mind as the Shinigami she was healing let out a pained groan.

"Sorry about that…" She muttered an unheard apology to the unconscious Shinigami.

To be truthful, it had been quite a while since she had healed anyone and she was a bit rusty in her techniques. But oh well, its better than just leaving them here to bleed dry

"Why do I always stick my nose into things I know I shouldn't." Rayne grumbled as the open wound began to miraculously knit together by itself at a terribly slow pace.

Just as she finished healing the major injuries of the first Shinigami, something made her jump a metre into the air with a squeak of surprise. A distorted voice rang out from somewhere beside her.

"This is Hisagi from the rally point. Barrier team, what's your status?" Rayne's searching eyes fell onto a mini radio that hung around one of the Shinigami's neck.

'_Don't scare me like that! I might just have a heart attack and die! And then who's gonna go and save you asses?!'_ She yelled in her mind as she stared at the small piece of technology with wide eyes.

"Hey, respond!" The voice demanded.

"What's wrong, barrier team?! Can you hear me?!" The voice grew louder, she could hear slight worry seeping into the masculine tone.

"**Instead of just staring at it…maybe you should hurry up and get a move on so that the Hollows don't get to the rest of them."** Her partner pointed out.

"O-Oh, right." Rayne muttered, her racing pulse slowing as the shock died down.

Shaking her head, she ignored to piece of technology that continued to sprout questions and focused on her current task of healing.

Once she had sealed the larger wounds on the unconscious Shinigamis, she stopped the flow of her reiatsu before switching her gaze to her grey coat which was lying in a bundle beside her. Slender, trembling fingers picked it up, her pale pink lips wobbled.

She needed bandages, but she couldn't use the Shinigami's uniform because they were already tattered and bloody, practically useless rags now. So it was up to her coat now to serve as bandages, a terrible fate for her favourite coat. A sigh sounded within her mind, but she ignored it as she stared at her poor coat that she was about to condemn.

"I'll miss you." She hugged her favourite coat one last time before grabbing hold of it and with her eyes closed, ripped it into strips.

With the strips of her coat, she bandaged the Shinigami before moving onto her next patient. It was a slow and gruelling task that required both time and effort.

After what seemed like hours, she was finally done, tying to last ends of the bandages together before sitting back with a groan.

"**The others…"**

"I know, I know. I'm going right now." Rayne grumbled lowly before standing back up and stretching her aching back.

With that she glanced over the nicely wrapped up Shinigamis one last time to conform they were okay and then strolled out of the building. She turned back, a hand lifting up and pointing towards the building where the Shinigamis from the barrier team remained unconscious.

"Bakudou 8 Seki." She murmured and flicked her wrist, immediately, a spherical barrier encased the building in pale blue.

"Stay there and don't move, okay?" She called out a hand on the side of her mouth.

Obviously there was no reply and if a building could sweat drop, it would have, as she spun around and pushed off from the ground.

Launching herself up and landing steadily on a building before continuing on her journey.

'_Let me make it in time…'_

Meanwhile

A body was thrown roughly against a wall, hitting it with a sickening crack before it fell to the ground. Hisagi nearly crumbled to the ground but managed not to by propping himself up with one hand.

Blood dripped onto the ground from his chin, splattering like a crimson flower painted across the floor. He wouldn't see properly, everything was tainted with a haze of scarlet.

'_Dammit, I can't…see ahead clearly.'_ He pushed himself up forcefully, sweat mixing with blood as he glared ahead.

The Huge Hollow turned its hideous head towards him, eyes glinting through its skeletal white mask. Its mouth gaped open, the unmistakable sign that was marked the firing of a cero as energy concentrated towards its wide jaw.

Arrows of energy shot towards him, ready to turn him into ash, but he wove through them in wild somersaults before darting forwards with a yell in a desperate attempt to slay the Huge Hollow. But he was batted away as simply as a human batting away a fly with a flick of a hand.

The sixth round student let out a deep growl, watching as its single claw split into multiple claws that glinted threatening in the faint moonlight.

"Even better." Hisagi growled, not caring even as daggers of pain penetrated his senses, not caring even as his body protested against every breath he took.

"Don't underestimate me!" Snarling, he raised his zanpakutou as if challenging it.

Claws lifted into the air.

Pausing, before striking downwards in a relentless attack, an attack he knew, he could not avoid.

Suddenly there were three blades that flashed out, effectively blocking the incoming claws that were a second away from shredding him.

"You guys…"

Renji, Kira and Hinamori stood beside him, katanas drawn and a mask of determination across their faces.

"Our deepest apologies We are disobeying orders!" Kira gritted out, sweating from the force the Huge Hollow's attack.

"We came to save you, so overlook it, alright senpai?" Renji muttered before they shoved the claws away and brought their hand in front.

"Ye lord. Mask of blood and flesh, all creation, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man, inferno and pandemonium. The sea barrier surges, march on to the south!" The crimson glow that built up in their hands burned stronger.

"Hakusou 31, Shakkahou!"

With that, three separate blasts shot towards the Huge Hollow and exploded on impact. A cloud of dust erupted and the four swiftly used their chance and fled away from the distracted Huge Hollow.

"But how could such as big ass Hollow get so close?!" Renji demanded as he sprinted as he sprinted.

"I don't know. I've never heard of it, but…it can probably hide its spirit force."

"We can't defeat that Hollow with our power!" Kira's panicked voice cut in. "What can we do?!"

"I requested assistance from Soul Society. We'll just have to evade it until help comes." Frustration brimmed from Hisagi's voice as they continued to run, trying to escape from an energy they knew that would crush them as easily as crushing ants.

Suddenly their surroundings shifted, drawing them to an abrupt halt.

"What is this?! The surroundings are staring to deform!"

It was then.

Hell broke loose.

* * *

Yep.

A slight cliffy.

How was it then? Please tell me what you think!

A lot of thanks to everyone who's reading and reviewing and I will update again soon!


	3. Take a Guess

Yay!!

I've UPDATED!!!!

Yep! (I'm kind of proud of myself.) XD

Well, thanks for everyone's reveiws!! They make my day!

_**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH BUT I DO OWN RAYNE AND SOME OF THE PLOT!!**_

**_Please enjoy this chapter as well!_**

* * *

Buildings blurred past in mixtures of grey flashes, lighted with traces of blue and black that was the night sky. Strands of wild silver whipped out behind like a tail as she skimmed across the roofs of the building with flash step.

Then a pressure fell onto her, the familiar prickling sensation on her skin that she always felt when a Garganta opened nearby. Sharp eyes caught another twist in the air, just slightly away from the area where she had felt bursts of spiritual energy second ago.

Unfortunately, she had also felt two individual reiatsu vanish like the flame of a candle blown out in a matter of a few seconds, a clear sign that the students stood no chance against their enemy. In other words, she should move faster before there were any other casualties.

According to her radar like senses, the others had scattered far and wide, like ants in their underground maze-like nest and all were a safe distance away from the Hollows that were now appearing from the rips in the air around the four academy students, trapping them in an unescapable ring.

She could see them now.

Just a distance away.

The four academy students stood frozen, helplessly insignificant and weak, surrounded by Hollows that towered over them like skyscrapers.

That wanted to eat them.

The Hollows shifted restlessly, saliva dripped in a sticky string from gaping jaws, all were eager to devour the four souls before them to ease their endless hunger.

'_Partner, are you ready?'_ Rayne questioned, a slight smirk tugging up her lips as she approached them with frightening acceleration, like a bullet.

"**I'm always ready."** Came the reply along with the shiver of anticipation that carried from the being inhabiting her inner world through the trembling blade at her side.

'_Then…'_

Pearl grey eyes fluttered close.

One of the Hollows gave a chilling roar and lumbered forwards, serrated teeth gleaming as it lunged towards the four Shinigamis standing helplessly trapped in the midst of Hollows.

Her eyes flashed open, glinting brightly.

"Let's go wild."

~T~H~E~Q~U~E~E~N~

There was nowhere to run.

There was nowhere to hide.

They were trapped.

Their fates were sealed.

And there was nothing.

Absolutely nothing they could do.

As they stared into the jaws of death.

"It can't be…" Kira stuttered, eyes wide with fear as the Huge Hollows appeared from all sides, barricading their escape route.

"It called its friends…" Renji growled as his eyes darted around sharply.

"This many Huge Hollows…It's impossible!" Hisagi gritted his teeth, all the while keeping his katana before him.

The scent of fear reeked through the air along with the smell of impending doom, even gods of death can have the sentence of death bestowed upon them.

"It's not real…This…No…I don't want to die…" Kira's teeth chattered, not from cold, but from terror, from horror at their approaching fates.

The worst fate a Shinigami could face.

The fate of being devoured by a Hollow.

Ripped from limb to limp.

Mercilessly.

By these monsters.

It was a fate none of them were ready to face.

"I don't want to die." Kira stammered, sweat dripping down the side of his face as the Huge Hollows shuffled closer.

Hinamori stared at the Hollows, frozen with fear, petrified like stone, and her friend's constant stuttering did not help.

Then.

One lurched forwards, screeching, eyes gleaming with hunger.

It was over for them.

A desperate cry of terror sounded throughout the night.

Suddenly a shadow swept over them, stretched and distorted, the edges flickering like dancing flames, not unlike a bird passing beneath the watch of the blazing sun. It flew past them and straight towards the Hollow that had lumbered from its ring, crossing the invisible line that had been drawn.

The smooth metallic swish of a blade being drawn accompanied with the dangerous glint, an unmistakable symbol for the oncoming slaughter. Narrowed onyx grey eyes glinted dully, slender arms crossed and then flashed outwards, swinging the weapon grasped in long fingers.

A refined shard collected from the broken moon sank into the brittle mask of the Hollow like a stone dropped into water. With controlled precision, the blade slashed upwards, hacking the mask clean in half and freeing the tormented soul from its twisted existence.

Hisagi stared up in astound, as the person, who he had identified as a woman began to plummet back down to earth. A tail of silver whipped out behind the figure along with the frayed ends of a black ribbon as the woman landed soundlessly on their feet before straightening slowly.

They all stared.

The person before them.

A total stranger.

Had just slain a Huge Hollow without so much as using a shred of reiatsu. With her katana alone she had made, to them, what seemed like an impossible task, seem so simple.

"W-Who-?" Hisagi began only to be cut of abruptly by a seemingly irritated sigh from the stranger that was their saviour.

"How many years has it been?" A questioning voice called out, a hint of a smirk could be detected in the feminine tone, the sound of metal falling against stone sounded as she allowed the raised tip of her katana to drop to the ground.

The woman before them tilted her head back, gleaming steel grey eyes that glinted with slight amusement.

"Since I've involved myself with Shinigamis?"

"…**Are you trying to act cool…?"**

...

She decided to ignore the question.

...

For now.

Rayne spun on her heel, swinging her zanpakutou up and leaning the back of the blade along her shoulder with an air of indifference.

A satisfied smirk on her lips.

The academy students stared further, she seemed to be at complete ease even with the crowd of Hollows just lingering behind her, now slightly wary about the new comer.

"J…Just who are you?" Hisagi managed to force the words out of his mouth.

"Hm? Me?" The woman before them quirked a single white eyebrow.

"Well~" She drawled out, whilst tilting her head.

"I'm just an average person that happened to be around when you guys got into trouble and so, I just decided to help you guys out." She explained in a dismissive tone and waved her hand.

"I'm not a suspicious person at all." She ended with an over cheerful smile.

'_She's suspicious…'_ They almost sweat dropped at her answer if not for the situation they were currently in.

"But now that I'm out here and saving your asses…" Her stormy eyes narrowed as an expression of complete seriousness overtook her face.

The air of indifference that surrounded her changed, transformed into one that was more stifling. One that made them freeze, unable to shift a single finger as her eyes narrowed.

"I happen to not want to be found out by Soul Society yet so keep this a secret, okay?"

Suddenly her dark demeanour transformed back into casualness, the woman smiled faintly before lifting a hand and placing it on Hinamori's head. The brown haired girl gazed up at the white haired woman, slight awe in her wide eyes.

"You've done well, now leave this to me and go to a safer area, okay?" Rayne smiled comfortingly at the girl before lifting her hand and giving her a light push towards the opposite direction the Hollows were in.

"And you guys." Rayne directed her attention to the males.

The red pineapple head, the one eyed blonde and the guy with a 69 tattoo on his cheek.

…

Well…

First impressions are the only things you can rely on when you first meet someone.

Right?

"Be gentlemen and accompany this lady to a safer area." Rayne commanded, planting the palm of her hand on their backs and giving them a shove towards Hinamori.

Hisagi jerked out of his trance at her firm push and immediately dug his foot into the ground to stop being pushed along by a complete stranger.

"You don't think I would just let-!"

"Do you want to die?"

Her question made the words die in his mouth, the air around her had transformed once again. It was like an approaching storm, ominous and dark, but still...

Rayne sighed at the look of frustration printed across his face, his mouth opened, no doubt going to argue once again, but she cut him off before he would utter a single word.

"You should be grateful that I even bothered to help you guys out, but fine, if you don't want my help I'll leave right now."

Horrified looks flashed across their faces.

If she left, they would die.

Without a doubt.

Rayne shrugged carelessly before sheathing her katana, turning her back on them. Her loose ponytail swishing out behind her like a whip.

Without looking back, she lifted a hand and waved half-heartedly before beginning to walk away.

"See ya."

"W-Wait!" A shout.

Her footsteps paused.

An annoyed frown crossed her lips as she tilted her head back.

"What?"

They stood there, fidgeting.

Rayne sighed again.

The stubborn one with the tattoo _still_ had_ that_ look on his face.

One eyed emo blonde looked as if he was about to faint.

Pineapple head was now glancing at the Huge Hollows that edged closer towards them.

And.

The poor girl was on the verge of tears.

Great, now she was feeling guilty.

Rayne sighed for the hundredth time this night.

"Accept your weakness." She turned around once again.

"Don't try to run, because you'll never be able to escape from it." Stepping towards them with near soundless footsteps.

"Face it, challenge it and then…" Pausing in front of them.

"You will become stronger." She ended with a slight smile.

"But seriously." Rayne chuckled lightly.

"You guys have got to be either extremely stupid or brave to have the guts to face a horde of Huge Hollows even though you not even official Shinigamis yet."

"I'll give credit to you guys on that."

At that very second, a Hollow decided to charge, its inhuman screech grating their ears painfully. But still, they heard her next words and caught sight of her wide grin.

"It would be a shame if you guys died here."

Then she was gone from their sight, the Hollow that had spring forwards already disintegrating into nothing by her blade.

"Now hurry up and get out of this place." Rayne yelled out harshly, causing them to jump, but they all caught the playful hint in the mystery woman's voice as she once again sprang up with her katana raised above her head.

Towards the mountain of Hollows.

Renji, Kira and Hinamori all glanced at Hisagi, who stood deathly still, his eyes still glued onto the woman who was their saviour and who had just given them a somewhat strange yet comforting lecture.

The woman, who was currently spinning through flying claws and teeth with incredible grace and cutting through the Hollows.

"Let's go." Hisagi finallt called out before turning his back on the woman and making his way to the buildings to the side.

Hinamori followed, but not before glancing back at the woman one last time.

"Oi! Get a grip of yourself!" Renji hissed at Kira who was still dazed, he growled when his friend didn't move.

Growling, he grabbed Kira's arm and began to drag him after Hisagi and Hinamori who were already a distance away.

Rayne allowed another faint smile to come across her face as she heard the distinctive slap of straw sandals across concrete.

They listened to her.

Well, it was for their sake anyway.

It was not as if they could have put a single scratch on the Hollows with the skill and reiatsu they possessed.

They were still unpolished stones.

Waiting to be trained into assets that would benefit Seireitei and the world.

She smiled again even as a gigantic fist came flying her way, nearly knocking her out of the air, nearly. Twisting she swung her zanpakutou down, nicking the fist and earning herself an enraged howl from the Hollow.

"**That was…rather cruel of you…scaring those children like that…"** The deep silky voice rippled in her mind.

"How?" She questioned out loud as claws reached towards her.

"**You pretending to leave them to the mercy of these Hollows…"**

Her katana swung down, sparks flying as it came in contact with the jagged claws of the Hollow.

"I was trying to teach them a valuable lesson on life." Was the retort he got, as she gave a might shove and hacked through the Hollow in one move.

Rayne landed onto an arm with a mask similar to the face of a horse, crimson eyes glowing madly at it swung its fist at her once again, missing as she vanished into thin air.

"**I guess…It was a good choice you made when you decided to come…"** He murmured soothingly.

"Yeah right." She muttered darkly, but he knew better, for he could feel her emotions from the wind that now blew across his face like soothing fingers.

She reappeared in front of the gigantic mask of the Hollow and slashing her zanpakutou across its face.

A grating scream that resounded as the vengeful soul was freed of its connections to the world it roamed.

Rayne plunged back towards the ground, once again landing neatly on her feet like a predatory cat before straightening.

"Now then." Rayne spoke, eyeing the remaining Hollows that edged closer to her.

"It's time that we had some fun." Her tone had darkened as she readjusted her grip on the storm grey hilt of her katana.

"Right partner?"

A chuckle was all she needed for an answer.

And then she was off.

Dancing a wild yet elegant dance in the midst of serrated claws and teeth accompanied with the lilting melody of screams and roars. Losing herself in the flow of adrenaline, she let her mind wander, allowing her instincts to take control over her body.

Until she no longer needed to eyes to see their attacks, the slight vibrations in the air, the sound of air being slashed by claws, there was enough to tell her where an attack was coming from. It was more than enough for her body to move on its own, a slight tilt of her head to avoid the jagged claws, a flick of her wrist to swing the blood stained blade in her hand and to slash through the twisted souls that roamed the world endlessly without meaning.

She felt alive.

Threatened with the possibility of death in the midst of a battle.

She felt alive.

Her honed instincts, teaching her the steps of the uncontrolled dance that was her style. She could lose herself in the heart of a fight, she could lose her senses, lose her thoughts, lose her reason...

She could lose everything…

Yes…

Even the-

"RENJI!!!!"

The thread snapped and grey eyes flashed open, a familiar sense of disgust crashed down onto her like a wall but she ignored it for now. Instead focusing on the source of the distressing scream and mingled shouts.

Hey sharp eyes caught sight of the problem.

Oh.

Yes indeed.

It was a problem.

A rather BIG problem she might add.

The academy student who she had deemed red pineapple head was currently dangling from the talons of a winged Huge Hollow.

Well.

The good news was that.

"LET ME GO!!! YOU-!!!" Well, well, well, pineapple head seemed rather determined and enthusiastic to get himself out of its grip, sprouting profanities as he struggled futilely in its grip.

If not for the situation, she would have found it rather comical, watching him shaking his fist angrily at the Hollow while continuing yelling.

And...

The bad news was.

The Huge Hollow had opened a Garganta and was soaring straight towards it, attempting to escape to the world of Hollows with its stolen prize. And there was nothing pineapple head could do because he had dropped his zanpakutou on the ground when he had shoved Kira out of the way of the swooping Hollow.

Conclusion.

Absolutely, bloody fantastic.

"Ren-!" Kira didn't even finish yelling his friend's name when he was cut off by a shrill yell.

"Stop right there!!!!" Rayne screeched, evading a fist before starting after the Hollow that was soaring away with the academy student.

It was flying away, fast.

"Wait!!!!" Rayne hollered as she flash stepped after it.

Obviously, it didn't wait.

A vein popped up on her temple.

"I SAID WAIT DAMN IT!!!!!!!" She roared, earning herself a few sweat drops from Hisagi, Kira and Hinamori as she bulldozed through the remaining Hollows that got into her way without a single pause.

A sigh sounded in her mind, but she ignored it.

She had to get to the pineapple before the Hollow went through the Garganta. The freezing wind bit at her skin as she launched herself off the ground and into the night sky, soaring straight towards the Huge Hollow which had already half passed through the gaping black Garganta.

The tunnel that led to the death of any soul.

Renji watched as the woman screamed after the Hollow, before pushing herself from the earth and rocketing up towards him. And then, she was right in front of him, eyes narrowed and…

'_Heh?'_ Renji's eyes widened.

Her blade flying straight towards him.

His yell got stuck in his throat as her katana missed the top of his head by a millimetre and sank into the foot of the bird like Hollow that grasped him by the back of his collar.

A painful shriek and the clawed foot released its hold on his clothes. The Hollow disappeared into the Garganta which closed immediately after it and left him and Rayne…

Motionless in the air for a split second before…

Plummeting towards the hard earth.

"Oooooaaaahhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!" Yelling as he felt his stomach drop as he fell from the sky at least four hundred metres from the ground.

From the corner of his eye, he saw a murky blur flutter into the night sky.

A black ribbon.

Suddenly he felt something grab onto his wrist firmly, eyes flicked down. A pale hand, Renji glanced up.

The woman.

Silver hair now untied, whipping up behind her from the wind like the reflection of a moon in rippling water.

"Hold on tight!" She yelled as they plunged down with frightening speed.

"R-Right!" Renji shouted back, voice nearly covered by the howling of the wind.

Rayne stared down at the ground that approached them with terrifying speed, barely hearing the panicked shouts of the other watching from the ground.

In a matter of a few second both of them would either be as flat as pancakes on the ground or standing unharmed.

Or course.

She preferred the latter.

Pale pink lips parted, steel grey eyes closed slowly.

"Fall…"

An unheard whisper.

Then.

Renji's feet touched the ground lightly, followed by Rayne who landed soundlessly beside him. She let go of his arm and stepped away.

"Jeez, as good as being the nice guy and saving your friend, you should think before you act." She scolded as she walked towards her sheath of her katana on the ground not far away.

Rayne reached down to pick it up, but before her fingers even brushed it, alarms went off in her mind.

Two new signals had just entered the range of her internal reiatsu sensing radar.

Two_ very_ familiar spiritual energy.

'_Why? Why are they here? Don't tell me-! This whole thing was to-!'_

Snarling, Rayne immediately snatched up her the sheath of her zanpakutou and slid the blade in swiftly, the thought of trying to search for her ribbon already abandoned as the two flickers of reiatsu approached rapidly.

'_I better leave now before they arrive…'_

Spinning on her heel, she waved at the academy students

"Well, take care." She smirked.

"I'm sure we'll meet again…" With that she nodded her head slightly and made to flash step out of the area.

"Wait! You're name! What's your name?!" Renji yelled out, taking a step towards her, but she was already gone.

Once again, just like a phantom of the night.

But.

He had seen it.

The faint, proud smirk that tugged her lips up.

He had heard it.

The quiet, wind-like whisper.

"_Take a guess…"_

* * *

Yep! That's a chapter done!

I'll update again as soon as I can!!

Please remember to review to tell me how you think!!

**THANKS AGAIN** for reading and I hope you continue to.

**_See you next time!_**


	4. Slip Through My Fingers

すりぬけてゆく風のように  
つかみきれない

* * *

The faint smell of salt tainted the thin air of the Real World that held little amounts of spiritual particles.

The smell of weakness.

Although…

It was.

A rather nostalgic scent.

Aizen Sousuke gazed up at the murky sky, the colour entwining messily like palette of paint had been thrown across the sky. Behind him stood his lieutenant, Ichimaru Gin, his silver hair swaying lightly in the breeze, his never absent grin curling his thin lips.

Suddenly he felt it.

Hazel brown eyes widened unnoticeably.

Cool fingers caressing across his skin.

Whispering hushed truths into his ear.

Sending a shiver spiralling down his spine.

He knew.

This sensation.

It was a sensation he was familiar with.

Terribly familiar with.

A smirk tugged his lips up, earning himself a slight tilt of his lieutenant's head.

"Is someth'n wrong? Aizen-taichou?" Gin questioned curiously, smirking slyly.

"Nothing, Gin." The brown haired man answered, voice warm and gentle, a voice that would instantly soothe and comfort a crying child.

"Nothing at all."

Gin's eyes opened the slightest fraction, the smile on his captain's face. There was something different about it, the upturn of the corner of his lips, the glint in the fathomless hazel eyes.

There was something there that he couldn't place his finger on.

What was it?

Enjoyment?

No.

Excitement?

Hmm…

That doesn't seem right either.

Now he was curious.

But, he would have to leave his questions for later as his captain motioned at him with a hand.

"Let us go." The soft spoken man stepped towards the source of disturbance that rippled through him through the air.

Weaving easily through the towering concrete maze, he mused silently, the faint smile still twitching on his lips caused his lieutenant to tilt his head once again in interest. However, no words passed between them as they continued to step towards their destination.

Brunette hair tousled in the cool wind that blew from the ocean, as he stepped out from the labyrinth of buildings and emerged where four Academy students were standing.

He felt it again.

The familiar quiver that lingered in the air.

A barely detectable mist.

But still.

There was no mistake now.

'_She was here…'_

He had felt it as soon as he had emerged in the Real World, the faintest, nearly ungraspable wisp of_ her_ reiatsu. Of course, the possibility of her actually being here was minimal, nearly impossible to detect, but he was certain now.

She had been here seconds ago.

The woman who continued to torture his mind for the past a hundred years without fail, lingering in his mind like a haunting ghost. The woman who constantly slipped through his fingers like the wind, playfully laughing and mocking his futile attempts.

A butterfly that constantly danced out of his web.

So terribly frustrating.

Yet.

Yet at the same time…

So desirable.

He wanted it.

He longed to trap the devious butterfly that danced away from before his very eyes.

How it drove him.

The infuriation.

The eternal intrigue that drove him in endless circles.

"Oh."

Aizen glanced back at his grinning lieutenant.

"I get it now." Gin's mischievous smile stretched even wider as he too caught onto the remaining traces of reiatsu lingering in the air.

Suddenly a rip tore through the air, revealing the gaping black hole that led to one of the three worlds.

A Garganta.

Crimsom eyes shone from the darkness, tinted with bloody insanity as shoving bodies emerged along with the reverberating roars.

Closing his eyes, Aizen allowed the topic to slip to the back of his mind, storing it securely before returning to the current situation. He would return to that later, after he finished taking care of the current situation he himself had created purposefully.

"Sorry for the wait." Aizen stepped towards the Academ students, a warm smile in place.

"We've come to assist." Hisagi's mouth fell open as he recognised the two men that walked towards them.

"You gentlemen are…"

"5th Squad…Captain Aizen! Lieutenant Ichimaru!" Aizen raised a hand as he approached them, he placed it on the girl's head and said comfortingly.

"You stuck it out well." He smiled gently, a well practiced action.

A simple up pull of the corner of his lips was enough for everyone to melt and trust him.

His perfect facade, however, did not fool _her_ for the briefest second.

Aizen immediately locked the thought away into the back of his mind where it had slipped out unceremoniously.

Instead, he continued to smile warmly.

"You must've been scared. Everything's alright now. Now you can rest and leave this to us." He moved towards the Huge Hollows, Gin followed swiftly behind.

"Whew, this here's quite a number of 'em." Gin's fingers curled ocer the hilt of his zanpakutou, unsheathing it with a single fluid motion before jerking it back into a stance.

His lips curled as he gave his order.

"Shoot to death, Shinsou."

The blade extended, shooting through the air like a single bolt of silver lightning, slashing through multiple Huge Hollows in one effortless stroke. Gin smirked widely as he continued to hack through the Hollows with nothing but a flick of his wrist.

Aizen stepped forwards, as a Huge Hollow let out savage roar, flinging its giant fist towards him. The captain, however, was barely fazed, he simply lifted and hand and blocked it with ease. He smirked faintly and closed his hand, dicing the Huge Hollow into pieces.

Watching with slight interest as the light in its wild scarlet eyes faded, the rest of bthe body disintegrating into dust.

The 5th squad's captain's white haori fluttered in the wind, suddenly a dark flicker caught the corner of his eye. Brown eyes flickered upwards. There was something drifting haphazardly in the sky, a streak of black against the lightening sky.

'_That is…'_

It danced towards the ground, falling through the fingers of the wind before finally landing soundlessly in his outstretched hand.

It was a ribbon.

A black ribbon that was slightly frayed at the ends.

A warm spark shot up his fingertips from the silky material, Aizen closed his eyes.

There it was.

He could almost see it, the faint silver glow that emitted from the piece of ribbon like a candle light.

Lips tugged up into a faint smirk.

It was only the slightest amount, but he could still sense it. The drifting spiritual energy that belonged to the single woman who had teased him with her smile before dancing out of his grasp effortlessly.

The woman named Rayne.

With a final smirk, Aizen curled his fingers around the ribbon, tucking it into his sleeve soundlessly before turning with a dazzling smile.

The girl he had patted on the head was gazing at him, admiration brimming from her wide innocent eyes.

His smile widened.

* * *

Like the wind that passes through  
I cannot hold it

~Omokage by Megumi Hayashibara

* * *

~Crimsom


	5. Spit It Out

それはまるで闇のように 迫る真実

* * *

"You want _me_ to train _that_ kid?"

Urahara couldn't help but shrivel slightly at the tone of her voice, the rapidly flaps of his fans increased in speed as he peered at her cautiously over the top of the fan.

There she sat, legs crossed in a rather unladylike manner, her chin leaning on her palm. A slate grey coat draped lazily around her shoulders with even whiter hair falling unruly down her shoulders.

A single silver eyebrow had risen, giving her an expression of incredulity.

Urahara hid once again behind his fan, making the woman before him quirk her eyebrow.

She hadn't shouted.

No.

She hadn't even raised her voice.

No, in fact, her voice was nothing but calm and collected as her steel grey eyes pierced through the fan he was hiding his face with.

It was the undertone that made him gulp unceremoniously.

A venomous snake that curled in a silk scarf, waiting soundless to strike it anyone dared disturb it. _That_ was the kind of tone she had used just then, and it was just _one_ of the countless aspects about her that made her incredibly intimidating at times.

However, he knew that it was simply a façade she built as an invisible line of defence the prevented anyone from getting to close.

So he persisted.

"Come on Rayne." Urahara whined childishly as he waved his fan about randomly.

Rayne gave him a blank stare, her eyebrows still quirked as she watched the man before her plead with her in a playful manner.

"**I see that he still acts like a child…like usual…"**

Rayne agreed vigorously mentally even as she kept a cool attitude on the exterior. She was slightly interested in what he was going to do next, after all, this man, Urahara Kisuke, was unpredictable and some, such as Kurotsuchi Mayuri, might even describe him as…

Unpleasant.

Urahara Kisuke, former captain of the 12th Division, now seeing that his antics were not improving the situation, decided to switch tactics.

Snapping his fan shut, he lurched forwards, across the table abruptly, nearly knocking Rayne's cup of tea over with his enthusiasm had she not grabbed it in time to avoid the hot liquid spilling over the table and herself.

"Oi, watch-" Rayne was abruptly cut off as Urahara stuck his face up to hers, a picture of absolute seriousness.

"It is essential that you train him." Urahara stated gravely, still in her face.

Her silver eyebrow twitched.

"Kisuke, would you mind getting out of my face?" Rayne inquired politely, the corner of her lips curled up in a friendly manner.

But, he knew better. Her charcoal grey eyes were smouldering silently; glinting with a strange light that made his skin crawl.

He had seen her direct that look to others before and she took them on a ride to hell and back.

Immediately, Urahara scuttled back, laughing nervously and snapping his fan open once again.

He would rather not experience her wrath first hand, just watching was horrifying enough.

"Ahahaha, got too carried away for a second there!" Urahara seemingly scolded himself as his fan appeared once again out of nowhere.

"It's just training a boy for ten days…" He prodded lightly, going back to the topic.

Rayne rolled her eyes, and carefully placed the cup of tea back on the table with a soft thunk.

The shopkeeper eyed the liquid swishing in the cup for a moment before lifting his eyes once again to meet hers.

"Consider this…uh…" Urahara settled back onto his cushion across the table, brows furrowing as he quickly thought of a reason.

"Consider this as doing a favour for me!" He exclaimed, mentally congratulating himself for thinking of such a fantastic reason.

A grin wormed its way onto his mouth.

He was certain now.

She wouldn't be able to reject his request.

Rayne frowned at him for a moment before visibly sagging, her head bowing slightly as she stared at the steaming cup of green tea in front of her.

"You know I prefer not to be involved with other people's affairs." She murmured without looking up, transfixed by the incredibly still clear green liquid that swirled with rising steam.

Ash grey eyes lifted, meeting a softer tone of grey that was half concealed behind messy strands of blonde and the striped bucket hat Urahara was constantly wearing.

"He is a child, Urahara, a mere baby compared to us and ignorant of the truth about the world of Death Gods and Hollows." Rayne sighed quietly, shifting in her seat.

"Even though this may be because someone is pulling the string." Steel grey eyes hardened. "To me, he is nothing but an innocent bystander who got dragged in accidently and so should be released before things get out of his and our hands."

"That is true, however, he is the one who wants to venture into Soul Society." Urahara pointed out after hearing her argument "and I find it difficult to believe that he would ever be dissuaded."

Silence fell across the room.

**"****He seems to be strangely clingy today…" **Rayne unceremoniously brushed her fingers across the sheath of the katana that was laid at her side.

'_I know…it's strange…I wonder if he trying to…?'_

In the midst of the battle of reason, a single lithe form slipped into the room, squeezing through the small gap in the sliding door and padding soundlessly to the table. Rayne's eyes slid to the black cat that now sat at Urahara's side, an elegant black tail waving lazily in the air, a pair of glinting topaz eyes focused on her like an eagle honing in on its prey.

Steel grey eyes slid back to Urahara who continued talking, ignoring the cat's presence for a brief moment as he attempted to persuade the stubborn woman before him. Usually, he would have seized the cat the instant he saw it and hugged it, but now, he wasn't going to fool around.

"And also…" Urahara coughed lightly, peering at her carefully, as if slightly...

Scared?

_'And what?'_

Rayne gave him a confused look.

The silence was deafening now, roaring in her ears as she waited impatiently for his next words, drumming her fingers on the wooden table as she did.

"He's a Vizard."

Her mouth fell open.

**"WHAT?"**

Her screech echoed throughout the whole of Karakura Town, making the birds perching in the trees give a squawk of fear and take off in a flurry of wings.

Back in the shop, Urahara had toppled over onto his back, half deafening by the roar that still vibrated through his skull, back and forth, back and forth.

Then he stiffened.

Did he…

Did he just hear to sound of a blade being drawn out of a sheath?

He lifted his head, eyes flickering to the figure who was slowly tugging her zanpakutou out of its black sheath, silver hair shadowing her eyes. Her reiatsu was pulsing through the air along with the rhythm of her anger, bringing a heavy weight down upon all who occupied the room.

However, they, in Uraraha, the cat and Rayne herself, remained unaffected due to the minimal amount she was releasing.

"R-Rayne! Calm down!" Urahara panicked, letting out a 'eeep!' as the blade slid out of the sheath and jabbed in his direction, its point glinting dangerously.

"Y-Yoruichi-san! Help!" He looked at the cat at his side for help, receiving none but a yawn and a dismissive look that clearly said you-get-what-you-deserve.

"Come on!" Urahara whined, but was unpleasantly drawn back to his current dilemma as a freezing metal kissed the skin on his neck.

Trailing his eyes slowly, he saw what all the others who had irritated her had seen.

A demon.

"Spit it out Urahara, if you don't want to die." Rayne hissed lowly, dangerously.

Her soulless eyes smouldered like black coals, an ancient raged burnt within them.

Wait…

Her eyes.

They were black not grey.

A sign.

A _very_ bad sign.

Urahara swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat.

Oh no.

He'd gone and made her mad.

* * *

The truth draws near as if it was darkness

~Truth By Arashi

* * *

~Crimson


	6. Join The Ranks

時のゆくえに  
彷徨う心

* * *

"I can't see you, you can't see me."

"I can't see you, you can't see me."

"I can't see you, you can't see me."

Urahara was currently covering his own eyes with his hands, mumbling the mantra out loud.

…

As if that was going to help.

Black eyes smouldered dangerously.

The childish manner that Urahara had yet to abandon even in the face of death only provided further fuel to her boiling irritation and continued to wear down tirelessly on her patience.

Letting out a hissing breath between her clenched teeth, she raised her zanpakutou, drawing her hands over a single shoulder and angling the blade down.

The blade.

Her blade.

It blazed with frosting cold light, trembling silver, like the very heart of the moon in its blindingly bright depths.

The disturbed reflection of her soul.

"Are you ready to face your death?"

Her soft alluring voice echoed eerily throughout the otherwise silent room, accompanied by the bright gleam of the blade that hung soundlessly in the air.

The white haired woman stared down at the man cowering before her, merciless black eyes slitted.

"Urahara Kisuke."

Pitiless eyes narrowed, slender fingers readjusted their grip on the stormy grey hilt of her zanpakutou.

"B-B-But I-I already explained everything to you!" Urahara stammered in panic, sweat falling down him profusely like rain as he backed away even further, scuttling like a crab until his back hit the wall with a dull thump.

Yes, he had puked everything out just as she had demanded everything that had happened and everything that was going to happen from now on. It had all gushed out like water from a broken tap…

…Well, maybe not all of it, but enough for her to not butcher him right now.

Or so he hoped…

He was getting a bit worried of his own safety now…

Gulping, he took a peek up at her through his fingers that covered his face.

Meeting heartless black.

Oh dear.

Maybe he was wishing for too much when he hoped that she would leave him alone after he spilled everything out.

"Don't try to beg for my forgiveness…"

Urahara gave a start, now staring up at her seriously, having discarded his comical nature the instant he sensed the subtle change in her.

Yes.

_She_ was there.

Standing right before him.

The person she had_ once_ been.

The person who did not know of the warmth of the sun.

The person who bathed in the coldness of the moon.

The person who killed as easily as drawing in a single breath.

The person that reminded him terribly of_ that_ man.

He didn't know why.

Bur whenever Rayne began to revert back to the cold person she had been over a hundred years ago.

He would see a shadow of _that_ man in her.

The man who was the root of all chaos.

The man who had once made them dance unknowingly in the palm of his hand.

Aizen Sousuke.

"I won't show mercy."

Urahara frowned.

The tone of her voice.

It was cold.

So dangerously cold.

She was getting serious.

Too serious for his liking.

His own hand reached unceremoniously to the cane that rested at his side, his fingers curled around the smooth wood that hummed beneath his touch.

Where had her usual careless and somewhat lazy manner gone?

Well, he guessed it had evaporated as soon as he said _those_ word.

The words he knew.

She never wanted to hear again.

Now, he would have to face the consequences.

Her fury.

Of course there's no way he'd let her pounce on him like a tiger and rip him to shreds, he was going to stop her even if he had to used force, because he _did not_ want to go through_ that_ again.

He couldn't help but shudder every time he remembered the occurring.

The single time where his-uh-subordinate had made her snap with some…uh…provoking should he say?

Moving on, let's just say his subordinate incited a severe reaction out of her which ended in half of Seireitei being destroyed and_ him_ getting hospitalized in the 4th Division for several days.

Well, at that time, her wrath hadn't actually been _directed_ towards him, he had merely attempted to prevent her from slaughtering his subordinate and demolishing the whole of Seireitei as she did, however, he had ended up with those oh-so-grievous injuries as she went all out on those who tried to hold her back on her rampage to find his certain _subordinate_…

Who, Urahara soon assumed, had learn his lesson well as he steered well away from Rayne after that single encounter that nearly costed him his life.

Urahara had asked this particular subordinate of his-uh-peculiar avoiding of Rayne, but had earned himself nothing but an arrogant retort…

However, he was 100% certain that he had seen the beads of sweat formed on the painted face of Kurotsuchi Mayuri as soon as he had mentioned her name.

That was the first time he had actually seen _the_ Kurotsuchi Mayuri, fidget uncomfortably in the presence of a person.

…

Now back to the present situation.

He.

Urahara Kisuke.

Did not want to go through that hell again.

Empty eyes watched his movements as he curled his fingers around his concealed zanpakutou.

"Yes, draw your blade, Urahara Kisuke." Rayne murmured quietly, her feet shifted slightly, soundlessly, like a panther readying itself to pounce on an unsuspecting prey.

"I would prefer not to attack one who yet to draw his weapon."

Urahara's frown deepened.

"Rayne-"

"Don't you think that's enough Rayne?" A sudden voice intervened.

Heads turned to where the voice had issued from.

The sleek black cat that sat calmly on a single cushion beside the two, watching them with sharp topaz eyes.

Rayne, the one who was about to kill and Urahara Kisuke, the one who was about to _get_ killed both glued their eyes on the cat.

"Yosuichi-san." Rayne muttered, but still, didn't lower her zanpakutou.

"I think Kisuke's learnt his lesson now." Yoruichi's masculine voice stated.

Beside her, Urahara nodded his head furiously up and down, like a child who was attempting to escape from inevitable scolding. His goofy nature once again back in place now that Yoruichi had decided to intervene.

Hopefully, Rayne would not do something irrational now that Yoruichi had spoken up.

"You will gain nothing by attacking him." Yoruichi reasoned, gold eyes glimmering brightly.

"And…you know I will step in."

The words hung in the air.

Silence.

Deafening silence fell across the room.

A silence so heavy that felt somewhat similar to a sea of reiatsu pressing down upon them.

A millennium seemed to have passed before the silence was broken by a sigh that issued from Rayne who slowly lowered her blade, pointing it towards the ground as a sign of resignation.

"When did you do it?"

The single question that brimmed with endless weariness made Urahara give a start before laughing sheepishly and rubbing the back of his head with a hand.

"Yesterday. Sorry! I forgot to tell you that!" He exclaimed brightly, once again flapping his paper fan before his face.

"How can you forget something like that?" Rayne half growled as she fell back onto her cushion, defeated.

Urahara merely laughed goofily, even as the woman glowered at him darkly, a searing glare that could instantly melt an iceberg.

"I can't believe I didn't notice…" She muttered darkly.

"**I'm sure he had his reasons…"** Rayne let out another sigh sheathing her katana with a final click.

Urahara let out a mushroom sigh at this, but stiffened when he felt daggers stabbing through his paper fan.

"But, you've seen his potential right?" Urahara attempted to divert her attention away from him.

Rayne couldn't help but frown at this.

Yes, she had seen the boy's potential

This very morning actually.

The power the surged up around him, devouring the air around him , engulfing him a blinding blue light that demanded attention.

She had noticed then.

His power.

It had been raw.

It had fluctuated wildly.

It had not been in his control.

However.

It had been frightening.

The power within him.

She knew that it was merely a sapling that had just pushed its way out of the soil.

She knew that it could grow into something magnificently powerful or…

Something that is consumed by twisting darkness.

"He's inexperienced, a mere child who knows nothing a wielding a sword." Urahara's voice cut through her thoughts, making her eyes flicker back up.

"He needs your help greater than mine." His voice softened, grew lower, but he kept his gaze steady.

"He needs you, one who has even greater experience with dealing with ones who has a hollow dwelling within their soul than I do."

Silence fell over the room like a smothering blanket.

Grey met grey.

Both glinting brightly.

With a different light however.

"I guess I don't have a choice if it's _you _who's asking…" Urahara's face broke out into a wide grin as the disgruntled woman's mutter reached his ears.

Rayne glared at him half-heartedly, however, her displeasure was fully ignored as the ludicrous demeanour returned to the man in front of her.

"Also, I will be requesting a few things in return…" He tensed at the tone of her voice.

"W-W-W-What?" Urahara stuttered, spinning back to face the woman that now grinned at him slyly.

He didn't not like that look on her face.

It meant that she was plotting something that involved him.

"What are you planning?"

"Oh, it's nothing much, you'll know soon enough." Rayne smirked.

"Personally, I would prefer not to know at all." Urahara mumbled, shooting suspicious glanced at her before leaping up joyfully.

"Well then! Now that you've agreed, let's start right away~!" The man grabbed the cane resting at the side of the table, swinging it in an arc brightly and skipping towards the trap door that led to the underground training room.

"Follow me!" His voice faded as he danced into the other room without looking back to see if Rayne had been following or not.

She didn't.

Instead she continued to lounge on her cushion, eyes glued on the cat still sitting beside the table.

"It's been a long time since I last saw you, Yoruichi-san." Rayne suddenly spoke, a faint smile curling the corners of her lips. "How have you been?"

"Good enough." A masculine voice issued from the cat's mouth.

Normally, she would have considered herself to be going insane if a cat spoke to her, however, the cat before her was an exception.

Rayne's fingers circled the brim of the cup of tea that had been placed in front of her by the frighteningly tall, but incredibly gentle person named Tessai, former captain of the Kido Corps.

"You nearly lost your temper just then didn't you?" The cat spoke up.

At this, Rayne's steel grey eyes slid up from her tea and onto the cat, she offered a slight apologetic smile.

"You noticed?"

"It was rather obvious." Yoruichi replied bluntly.

"I guess…what Urahara said…just overwhelmed me a bit…" Rayne admitted as she uncrossed her legs, leant back on her arms and started up at the ceiling.

"I'm…sorry about that…I know I overreacted." The silver haired woman offered an apology which was brushed aside carelessly.

"Well, Kisuke deserved it. You should have seen the look on his face when you began to draw your zanpakutou."

Rayne chuckled at Yoruichi's words.

"But you sure agreed quite…easily to training that boy considering that you just threatened Kisuke about the boy being transformed into a Vizard." Yoruichi commented, trotting over to Rayne who uncrossed her legs and leant back on her arms, staring up at the ceiling.

"Well, I have my own reasons…" The silver haired woman trailed off before sighing, stretching and pushing herself to her feet.

'_Reasons? What reasons?' _If Yoruichi had an eyebrow right now, it would have lifted in suspicion.

"Kisuke, I'm leaving." Rayne called out with a hand over her mouth before jerking her zanpakutou up and slinging it over her back.

"What?" His echoing voice sounded as if he was a fair distance away.

It seems as if he was already down in the basement.

Good.

Now she didn't have to come face to face with his antics.

"I'll come back tomorrow." She assured Urahara whose was currently thundering up the ladder according to the shaking stomps that echoed from beneath.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Yoruichi-san." Rayne offered a faint smile which was returned as best as a cat could.

With that, she reached out a hand and pulled the sliding door open, stepping out into the shop that was now shrouded with darkness.

'_It seems like night has fallen…'_

Rayne stepped soundlessly out, pausing when she caught sight of a figure.

"Thank you for the tea Tessai, it was… "She paused for a fraction of a second.

"…Delicious." Rayne ended slowly.

"You're welcome Rayne-dono." Tessai replied, voice slightly muffled by the thick brush of his moustache. "Please visit us again."

A faint smile tugged pale pink lips up.

"I will."

With that, she exited from the shabby store, leaving nothing but a chilling breeze that seeped through the door as she had stepped out.

Night had fallen outside, embracing the world in a blanket of murky blue that swirled with black.

Rayne trudged soundlessly down the gravel path, pearl grey eyes saddening as the single truth engraved itself in her mind.

'_So…another one has joined the ranks…'_

* * *

The heart wanders aimlessly  
At the whereabouts of time.

~Asu he by Teruya Miho

* * *

~Crimson


	7. Strawberry Impressions

哀しい瞳が映す  
消えていく命に背を向け闇を歩く

* * *

A soundless shadow stepped down the rocky path, its delicate paws padding against the dusty earth as it made its way along the walls of the residence. Tabby fur fluffed messily and an ear flicking occasionally to catch the sounds that drifted through the morning air.

The chirping of the birds.

The honking of the cars in the distance.

The light ruffle of the leaves in the tree.

Everything was per usual.

The cat leapt agilely onto a bin, balancing skilfully on it before raising a paw and beginning to brush through its fluffed and somewhat, ruffled looking fur. Its brown eyes closed as the warmth of the orange sunlight seeped through its thick fur, lulling the sense of sleepiness back into its body.

Its small jaw stretched open, lips curled over sharp teeth in an instinctive motion.

Two yawns split through the air.

The cat glanced up at the source of the same sound it had just emitted in letting out a tremendously lazy yawn, meeting the faintly amused gaze that belonged to a female who had happened to be passing by.

Rayne paused for a moment as the tabby cat regarded her with curious yet suspicious brown eyes, in reply, she shrugged simply and continued on her way.

"**It seems that you are not the only one who is tired…" **A smooth baritone voice commented lightly, drawing a faint smirk from the woman.

'_So it seems…'_

Treading around a corner, a store that seemed somewhat shabby and rather untidy came into her sight.

A store that had a large sigh saying 'Urahara Shouten' hanging on its roof.

"Yohoooo!"

A broom swung through the air like a bat, its handle grasped tightly by a boy with flaming red hair. Beside him, a timid girl swept the ground with her head down, she was the exact opposite to the boy who continued to act as a famous batter.

As usual.

Rayne stepped towards them.

"Geez, you're pretty enthusiastic even in the morning." Rayne grumbled wearily at Jinta, rubbing away tears of sleepiness that formed as she had yawned.

Said boy paused before immediately flaring up in temper.

"Morning? It's four in the afternoon right now!" Jinta yelled, pointing a single finger at her.

Rayne merely scratched the back of her head, ignoring the boy, she turned to the overly shy girl with a light smile.

"Good morning Ururu."

"I just said it's the afternoon now!" The red haired boy fumed, now pointing his broom at her.

"G-G-Good after-um-m-morning Rayne-san." The girl stammered, this caused Rayne to smile even more.

'_This child…still tripping over her own words…'_ Laughing inwardly at the girl's extreme bashfulness, she stepped towards the door and yanked it open.

"Oi! Are you ignoring me?" A furious yell Jinta didn't faze her at all as she walked in but not before saying.

"Oh? Jinta, didn't see you there."

Closing the door behind her and muffling the boy's raging insults he now flung at her, she made her way into the shop, yawning again as she half stumbled into the room where the trapdoor hung agape like a mouth.

Unhurriedly, Rayne trudged towards the trapdoor she knew led to an underground training area, she could faintly hear the clash of metal against metal drifting up from the hole in the ground.

"Hmm…should I just jump?" She mused out loud, staring down intently into the darkness.

"No, maybe I should use the ladder…" Mumbling to herself, she contemplated over the rather trivial matter until she was interrupted by a booming voice that made adrenaline flood through her veins.

"You're late!" A sudden masculine voice boomed out, making Rayne jump a metre into the air in shock.

Spinning around, her searching eyes fell on the black cat that sat behind her, a…should she say, a mask of irritation plastered across its furry black face.

"Ah! Yoruichi-san, don't scare me like that."

The cat's whiskers twitched furiously as topaz eyes blazed brightly, a golden fire, coaxing a somewhat nervous laugh out of Rayne.

"Well, I just kind of woke up and…" The half baked reason flopped out uselessly and only further encouraged the exasperation evidently present in the rather…uh…malicious aura that now surrounded Yoruichi.

"Just hurry up and get down there!"

With those words accompanied with a powerful strike directed at the back of her knees, Rayne suddenly found herself sprawling headfirst towards the hole from the lack of support beneath her weight.

'_Heh?'_

Nothing but a narrow expanse of air that stretched downwards…

An endless tunnel of darkness… that was what she stared at for a split second before…

She fell.

Darkness enclosed her as she tumbled down the hole uncontrollably, tugged down by the force of gravity. The wind roared past her ears, louder than the pulse of her blood, sending her hair and the hem of her coat billowing out behind her in waves of silver and black.

"Guh." Clapping a hand over her mouth, she fought back the feeling of her stomach lurching upwards into her throat.

Suddenly, light flooded, making her go blind for a split second.

Then…

A thundering crash made Urahara and Ichigo glance up from their sparring, a cloud of dust hovered around the base of the ladder that led up into the room of the rather unnoticeable Urahara Shouten that resided somewhere in the town called Karakua ch-ou.

"W-What was that?" Ichigo demanded, lowered his newly acquired zanpakutou slightly as his attention shifted from Urahara to the sudden source of disturbance,

Violent coughing could be heard as a dark shadow shifted about, a part of it that could be identified as a hand swatted in the air as if to brush away the dust. Bursting out of the dust cloud, she staggered as her eyes burned uncomfortably.

"Damn that Yoruichi, shoving me down without a single warning, could have killed me…" Growling under her breath, she rubbed at her eyes which a bit of dust had gone into and made them fill with tears which were currently unable to be stopped despite her endeavours.

"**Not that you would have died from something like that…"**

"Ah! Rayne!" A man dressed in forest green skipped towards her brightly, his cane, now transformed into an extravagant sword swinging at his side.

"Hey! Urahara-san!" Ichigo called out as the man pranced off towards the new comer who was dusting themselves off furiously.

He was ignored.

The man skidded to a half beside her, making even more dust rise, a carefree smirk hanging across his unshaken face. Keen grey eyes roved over her face, an uncommon intensity entering Urahara's eyes as he peered intently at her.

"What?" Rayne couldn't help but snap at him due to her growing annoyance, but in return, she only earned a grin that spread widely across his goofy face.

"Rayne."

Oh no, she did _not_ like the tone of his voice.

It was suggesting _something_.

Urahara's smirk grew at the slightly uncomfortably look that flitted across her face before vanishing without a trace.

"Are you cry-?"

Well, he never got to finish his sentence as he found himself buried face first into his new acquaintance introduced by Rayne's fist smacking across the back of his skull.

Yes, his new acquaintance was known as…

The floor.

Urahara immediately bolted up, spitting out the dust that got into his mouth and coughing haggardly.

"Did you just say something Urahara?"

A sickeningly sweet voice rang out from above, glancing up, he saw nothing but a charming smile lighting Rayne's face.

…

It was accompanied with a series of cracks that came from her knuckles.

"Uh-ah! No, no, no. Nothing at all." Urahara laughed awkwardly before straightening up once again and leaping to his feet energetically, grabbing his zanpakutou he had accidently dropped as he was assaulted unexpectedly.

"Now, now! Kurosiaki-san! Could you come over here for a moment?" The former captain of the 12th Division called out brightly whilst clapping his hands.

"What now? The carrot top yelled as he approached, exasperation evident in his voice, lifting his zanpakutou and resting the back of the blade against his shoulders, he walked towards the duo that stood there.

One, Urahara Kisuke, was waving at him to come over with a joyous smile as if he were a dog.

The other.

Well…

She was glaring at Urahara, a look of annoyance printed across her face, and looking rather unkempt as her black coat was covered with patches of smeared white that had resulted from the dust clinging to the fabric.

Ichigo immediately took note of a particular aspect about the silver haired woman who stood beside the odd man known as Urahara Kisuke.

It wasn't her face, gaunt yet flawless.

It wasn't the seemingly unnatural pigment of her silver hair that flowed down to her waist, tied loosely at the base of her neck in a tousled manner.

It wasn't the haughty and uncaring attitude that hovered around her like a fine mist.

It wasn't the katana that hung lopsided from her belt radiating the familiar sense of rippling reiatsu.

It was her eyes.

Her steel grey eyes that were underlined with dark shadows of weariness.

Eyes that reminded him of himself.

The him, all those years ago.

Full of blame and guilt yet…

There she was, looking as if she didn't have a single care in the world.

Just like he did.

Always forcing a smile just for the sake of those he cared for.

Walking towards the strange pair, he planted himself in front of Urahara.

"Who is she?" Was the first thing that tumbled out of the carrot's mouth.

A fantastic first impression indeed.

Rayne couldn't help but twitch, a bubble of irritation popping as Ichigo addressed Urahara as if she didn't even exist.

'_This kid…'_

"**He's rather rude isn't he?"**

"Well! Let me introduce her to you!" Urahara cheered brightly, having decided to ignore the annoyance that was now radiated from the woman beside him.

"This is Rayne." He gestured towards the silver haired woman with one hand as he tugged his hat further down to cover his eyes with his other.

"And from now on, she will be training you!"

Yep, he had gone and announced it for the world to hear.

"W-What? But! Didn't you say that you would-!" Ichigo began to protest.

"Oi! Child."

Ichigo was shaken out of his thoughts by an apathetic voice, turning his head, his eyes fell onto the woman who now seemed to be appraising him. Suddenly, a smirk broke out across her face.

"Control yourself, you're reiatsu is leaking out like water from a broken tap."

Was what she said.

Ichigo gaped at her, it was as if his brain could not process the meaning of his words, and it was a few moments later before he fully reacted to her insult.

"What did you just-?"

One again, her voice cut through his protests.

"This is really just a waste of my time." Her words were directed towards Urahara who was standing at the side, whistling and glancing around.

Rayne let out a sigh.

He was doing it on purpose.

'_Fine then…be like that…'_ Letting out a breath, she turned back to the teenage who had hair the colour of carrots.

"Kid, go home." Rayne deadpanned bluntly.

This time Ichigo was ready to react and he immediately flared in response.

"Hey! Stop calling me kid! I have a name you know!" Jabbing a thumb at himself, he only earned himself a slight quirk of her eyebrow.

"Well, you never told me." She pointed out usefully, amusement now lacing her voice.

"Oh uh right." Ichigo flushed, scratching the back of his head awkwardly before once again meeting her steely gaze.

"I'm Kurosaki Ichigo."

At this, a sly smirk crept across her face, it was escorted with a teasing glow that entered her eyes.

"Ho? So you're a strawberry, I thought you were a carrot." Rayne declared, her smirk growing when Ichigo's face turned a bright shade of red, due to embarrassment of anger she didn't now.

"It doesn't mean strawberry!" He squawked indignantly.

Hmm…

Well, maybe it was a mixture of both.

"Aw, how cute." Rayne grinned teasingly as the teenage continued to splutter.

"S-Shut up! It's 'Ichi' for 'first prize' and 'Go' for 'guardian angel'! It ain't cute!" He griped furiously, still a deep shade of crimson.

"Okay, okay, no need to get so flustered. I'll just call you strawberry." Lifting her hands, she attempted to ward off his echoing disputes.

"Oi! Weren't you listening to what I just said?" Ichigo roared, now looking like a tomato.

In reply, Rayne only shrugged once before the smile that had painted her face vanished without a trace, which succeeded to gain Ichigo's attention.

'_She…She looks so different when she smiles and when she doesn't…'_ Was the strange through that floated across Ichigo's mind before he batted it away.

"Now then, since we have gone through the introductions, let's move on to business." Rayne stated, voice deadly serious.

Ichigo gulped at the abrupt change in her attitude, even the air she emitted had shifted from a teasing nature to a stifling coldness.

"Well, I don't want to waste my time attempting to train a child who has no potential." She muttered, her gloved fingers brushing against the worn grey hilt of her zanpakutou.

"Meaning, you will have to prove your worth to me…" Glancing up, she offered Ichigo a slight tug of the corner of her lips.

Then, Rayne shifted her focus onto Urahara who was standing off at the side, sucking on a lollipop he had somehow managed to attain. Well, maybe it was because he owned a candy store which meant he could help himself whenever he wanted to.

"If he doesn't attain my approval and still refuses to accept defeat, I will not hesitate to…" Rayne paused for a moment, "break a few bones and convince him otherwise."

She ended ominously, her charcoal grey eyes glinting brightly.

"Is that alright?"

Her question was directed towards Urahara who in reply gave her a bright okay sign along with vigorous nodding.

"Sure, sure. Absolutely fine." Urahara responded whilst grinning.

Ichigo twitched.

"Hey! What are you agreeing to without my permission?"

He was ignored.

Gloved fingers curled firmly over the hilt and tugged, allowing the sleek silver blade to slide smoothly from its black sheath. Slowly, gracefully, her stance shifted, the blade now hung over a single shoulder, posed to strike a deadly blow.

The viper had been roused and was now posed to attack the disturber.

Ichigo immediately jerked back.

'_This person…Rayne…'_

Sweat trickled down his brow as he felt it, the murderous intent radiating from her like waves of heat from the blazing star known as the sun.

'_She's dangerous!'_

"Now then, let's start shall we." Rayne murmured softly, storm grey eyes glowing as she readjusted her grip.

Lips curled up into a twisted smirk.

"Strawberry."

* * *

It shows in my sad eyes  
I'll turn my back on my fading life and wander the darkness

~I myself am Hell by Hassy

* * *

~Crimson


End file.
